NEAR MISS

This story begins during the first season episode "The Raft." It progresses through "The Keeper" and "Wild Adventure," to end in "The Deadly Games Of Gamma Six." It is an AU (alternate universe story).

            "Sorry, Dr. Smith," Will said sheepishly as his confession to John and Don regarding the disappearance of the rocket fuel had narrowly prevented Smith's getting hit by Don.

            Smith gulped and moved away, but he was visibly badly shaken.

            A short time after, Smith found himself alone with John Robinson. Gingerly, he asked him, "Professor? Were you really going to let the major strike me?"

            The taller man eyed him. "Could be. You must admit, Smith, that you are guilty of wrongdoing more often than not. Though, since you happened to be innocent this time, I'm glad that Will confessed in time."

            "So am I," whimpered the older man. "May I tell you something? He frightens me!"

            "Don?" Robinson guessed.

            Smith nodded.

            Robinson suppressed a smile. "Well. Maybe that fright can help you to improve your behavior."

            Smith looked unconvinced, and helpless.

            Later, West asked Robinson conspiratorially, "Did you see Smith's reaction before Will saved him? I think I scared the daylights out of him." He grinned.

            "You did," Robinson confirmed. "He came to me. He wanted to know if I would've really let you go through with it. He wasn't happy with my answer."

            West was obviously tickled by that revelation.

            Hours later, Robinson and West happened upon Smith sitting morosely on a rock. The latter looked up at their arrival, and evident fear entered his eyes.

            "Gentlemen," he addressed them hesitantly.

            West smirked. "At least, you hope we are. Gentle."

            Smith cast an uneasy glance at Robinson. "You told him."

            Robinson shrugged minutely. "Was there any reason why I shouldn't have?"

            "I...," Smith swallowed hard, and then went on, "I would have hoped that you wouldn't."

            "Sorry." But Robinson didn't really sound repentant.

            "Look, Smith," West pointed out, "it isn't only me you have to worry about. Remember when you tampered with the parajets? I was the one who had to pull John off of you. Either one, or both, of us might just clobber you one of these days."

            Silent tears formed in the older man's eyes. "I don't want you to," he whispered.

            West eyed him coldly, and stated matter-of-factly, "We know. That's why it's a good punishment and potential deterrent for you."

            Smith's eyes darted between West and Robinson, and, at the sight of concurrence in the latter's eyes, the older man let out a short gasp, and then squelched his reaction with effort.

            The two younger men walked on without another word. Smith watched them go, blinking back tears.

            Several days later, after their clash with the alien Keeper, the two brunette men found the gray-haired man in tears once again.

            "Now what?" West demanded.

            Smith sniffed. "You two have set a new record. Each of you, separately, threatened to break my neck, both in the same day."

            Robinson remarked, "You suggested that we give Penny and Will to the Keeper."

            West added, "You took those two kids out after dark to go plead with the Keeper, risking their capture by him. But that was what you wanted, wasn't it? For the Keeper to catch them."

            Smith sniffled. "But, ...must you both be so vicious?"

            "Where the welfare of the children is concerned?" demanded Robinson. "Absolutely."

            "You won't win this one, Smith," advised West.

            "Do I ever?" But then, instantly intimidated by their return expressions, Smith hastened to add, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound flippant." He swallowed hard. Their brief flare of anger subsided.

            Still, West said, "One day, you're going to say way too much, and then heaven help you."

            After Smith changed the course for Earth and nearly plunged the Jupiter II into the Sun, and after things calmed down a bit, the older man gingerly approached Robinson and West, and hesitantly asked, "Did you two have to manhandle me so brutally?"

            West stared. "All I did was grab your face and make you face the reality of what you'd done."

            Robinson agreed, "And all I did was grab your upper arm, to demand your attention."

            West insisted, "We didn't hurt you."

            Smith eyed them. "Yes. It hurt. You hurt me. Both of you. You were too rough. And it hurt."

            Robinson studied him. "If we ever really decide to hurt you, you'll know the difference."

            He did indeed, when he pushed too hard to get Robinson to enter Mr. Miko's games a few weeks later. In this universe, he didn't move away quickly enough when Robinson said, "If you're not out of my sight in two seconds, I'm going to demonstrate that great physical prowess...on you."

            Smith backed up a step, but when he added, "You're making a mistake," he didn't retreat quickly enough, and Robinson finally actually punched him in the nose. Smith went down flat. The cacophony of his screams was accompanied by West's noisy applause.

            "I'm glad I got here soon enough to see this!" the major exclaimed, grinning.

            Robinson offered a hand to help Smith to his feet. The older man hesitated.

            "Maybe I'm safer down here! Are you sure you're not going to hit me again?"

            "I'm not." The hand was still extended. As Smith timidly took it, West told him, "Any more insults to John, and it's my turn to hit you."

            Smith whimpered and wailed again, still holding his bloody nose. "Is it broken?" he asked, once back upon his feet.

            Robinson felt it carefully, and reassured him. "No, it isn't."

            "I didn't mean to insult you; I meant to compliment you," Smith protested defensively. "I meant to show how capable I thought you were, and how sure I was that you would triumph in Mr. Miko's games."

            "It didn't come across that way," Robinson countered sternly. "Now let's drop the subject."

            "But...."

            "Smith," West warned, raising his own fist. "This time your nose will break."

            "But...," Smith foolishly repeated.

            True to his word, West belted him.

            Once again knocked to the ground, Smith squealed in pain as blood fountained from his doubly-abused nose.

            West bent and felt the nose less gently than Robinson had, eliciting another shriek. "Yep. Broken," he announced succinctly. Without extending a hand, let alone waiting for their victim to take it, West unceremoniously hauled Smith to his feet.

            Weeping and wailing, Smith stumbled away from them.

            "That felt good," West confided to Robinson.

            Hours later, Smith approached the two men gingerly, and said meekly, "If only you had let me finish."

            "What?"

            "I was only trying to say, 'But I won't bring it up again. I promise.'" He sniffled sadly and departed as they exchanged looks and then stared after him.